Adventure in the Tombs
by alyssialui
Summary: James is saved by an unlikely person deep in an Egyptian tomb.
_A/N: James is saved by an unlikely person deep in an Egyptian tomb. I just had this random Indiana Jones/tomb-explorer idea and this is what happened. Sorry for any inaccuracies._

 _Submission for:_

 _ **The Mystery Competition:** Regulus Black and James Potter becoming friends. Prompt: afreet_

 _ **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments):** Alchemy Assignment #10 -write about a secret._

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter._

* * *

The James Potter, explorer extraordinaire, couldn't believe his luck! As one of the youngest anthropologists in the society, he was often ridiculed for his enthusiasm and belief in tall tales, but after scouring dusty Egyptian tomes, and even dustier Egyptians tombs, he finally found what he was looking for: a real, live afreet! These fabled mythical beings were powerful demons, known for their trickery and cunning, and James had always wanted to meet one. Even the fact that he was now currently running for his life from the winged beast through the ominous stone corridors couldn't diminish the amazement and joy from his discovery.

"I can't wait to tell everyone about this..." he began, before he ducked a rather nasty looking ball of dark energy. With a tiny sound, he picked up the pace, holding his fedora on his head to keep it from flying off, and added, "if I survive."

Then suddenly, there was an opening. James grinned, relieved that his luck was getting even better and he would finally be out of this place. But as he stepped out, his relief soon turned into horror. This was no opening into the sandy desert and its bright blue sky. It opened into a wide chamber, James stopping himself just in time before the corridor ended he ran straight off the edge into a dark abyss.

Behind him, the afreet roared and James shuddered. "I guess this is it," he muttered, turning to face the creature while holding out his lighted wand. He was not going down with a fight, but how do you fight an all-powerful, ancient, magical being?

"Arretom!" he heard shouted from the somewhere to his right. James' eyes fell on a boy about his age who stepped out from another corridor. He had bright, grey eyes that pierced the darkness not illuminated by James' wand, and slick black hair close to his scalp. "Polloxa, Arretom!" he said.

The demon stopped, his pupil-less eyes focused on the newcomer and the boy continued to shout at it. What surprised James even more was when the demon responded in the same strange language, its voice now lowered.

Then suddenly, the demon turned about and returned to his resting place down the corridor. The boy watched it go before it turned towards James.

James stepped forward and extended his hand to the boy. "Thank you so much. I would have been a goner if..." His words died out as the boy stared at his hand in mild confusion and disgust. Of course this boy couldn't understand English, James thought, taking in the ill-shapen piece of (was that human skin?) covering the boy's private sections. Various ancient Egyptian and other cultures ran through James' head, before he settled on a simple bow.

This seemed to do the trick, as the boy bowed back. James pointed at himself and said, "James." The boy stood there for a moment before he mimicked the gesture and said, "Reg'lus". Then he pointed at James, saying, "James" before covering his mouth with both hands.

 _Secret..._

Could he really keep all he had seen a secret, his adventure, the afreet, this strange boy who seemed to live in the tombs themselves? But those grey eyes seemed to bore into his very soul, pleading with him to obey. After saving his life, it was the least James could do, so he repeated the gesture to the boy. _Secret..._

The boy bowed again before he moved to the corridor he had come from and disappeared into the darkness.

James could follow after him, continue his adventure, possibly uncover even more like this boy, an entire civilization, but now, he just wanted to get out of here. More careful now, he retraced his steps until he was out in the blistering heat of the desert. His sherpa, a man named Sirius, called him over to the camels he rented.

"Find anything, explorer?" he teased, his gold tooth glinting in the sunlight.

James took his hat off his head and fanned his face at he stared into the general location of Cairo, "Just take me back to town, Sirius."

Sirius graciously bowed as he helped James onto his camel. "As you wish, Sir."


End file.
